William “Bill” E. Gardner
William “Bill” Edward Gardner, 83, of Whitehall, completed his earthly journey, Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
William was born March 8, 1941, to Frederick and Jeanette (Hansen) Gardner of Whitehall. Bill graduated from Whitehall High School in 1959, and attended technical school in La Crosse. In the summer of 1960, he and his high school sweetheart, Karen Oerke eloped. They were married August 3, on their way to Idaho. After a short time there, they returned to the Whitehall area where they lived after that.
Bill and Karen were involved in church and community service throughout their time there. They attended Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and were engaged in youth ministry there. Bill served on the board of the Assembly of God Church in Whitehall and served in many ways there. He was instrumental in starting, designing and building Lily of the Valley Church in the Arcadia area for the Hispanic population there. They often attended there. They also attended Reaching Out Ministries near Coral City and served on the board and helped in their food distribution program.
Bill also served as mayor of Whitehall in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Somewhere there are likely some pictures of him and Karen dressed up for the Bicentennial Celebration. The Rod and Gun Club building North of town owes much to the volunteering of Bill and his family. Next time you visit, check out the old photos of the crew who labored to build that oft-used community facility. He was a volunteer fireman and could often be found grilling chicken during Beef and Dairy days.
Bill was adept mechanically and had many professions that made use of this. He owned and operated the Mobil Service Station in Whitehall for a time. Bill worked for Tru-Gas, installing gas lines throughout the Midwest. He learned the plumbing profession working with Louie Boehm. That profession was how he spent much of his professional life. He also drove truck with and for his brother-in-law, Adrian (Abe) Waldera and others.
He loved to fish and enjoy the outdoors. Bill and Karen had a permanent campsite on the Chippewa Flowage at Daggett’s Resort for many years. Family still frequents this area nearly 40 years after they first started going there.
William is survived by his sons: Shane (Pam) of Cedar Falls, IA, David (Carol) of Whitehall and Bakersfield, CA, John (Angie) of Whitehall and Fred (Stacey) of Whitehall; his grandchildren: Mitch (Robin), Ryan (Kayla), Dusty, Logan, Brynn (Shane Fuller), Tyler (Tatyana), Chase, Sarah, Nick (Lauren DiTallo fiance), Kaili (Kyle Koval) and Jacob; his great-grandchildren: Camden (Gardner), Haddon, Kuyper, Brock, Cam (Fuller), Genevieve (Gardner) and Elena (Gardner); and his sister, Diane Waldera.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Karen; and his parents, Frederick and Jeanette Gardner.
The family would like to thank the staff at Dove Healthcare in Osseo and St. Croix Hospice for their loving care of Bill.
The family asks you to join us for a Celebration of Life, Thursday, August 8, 2024, at Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a funeral service immediately following. Mr. Ricardo Rivera will officiate. Burial will be in the Old Whitehall Cemetery in rural Whitehall.
